


Secrets To Die For

by VylaTrix



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, F/M, Steampunk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28074930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VylaTrix/pseuds/VylaTrix
Summary: Enjoy.
Relationships: Edd (Eddsworld)/Reader, Matt (Eddsworld)/Reader, Tom (Eddsworld)/Reader, Tord (Eddsworld)/Reader
Kudos: 2





	1. Arrival

Izu woke up on the couch in the airship's lounge. She rubbed her eyes and sank a little deeper into the cushions. Things hadn't been going her way lately, and it felt like everything was falling apart. One of her comrades in the room chuckled as she sat up. 

"Sleep well,  _ søt _ ?"

Izu groaned and gave him the birdy. "Put a sock in it, Tord."

"I'm not the one who fell asleep,"

"But you could keep your nose in your own bloody business. I'm just glad that training is over."

"Why's that?" Tord asked. 

Because once we get to Shu, I can ditch the camp. Better yet, I won't have to see your face ever again" 

Tord stifled a laugh.

"So you think."

"What do you mean by that?"

He shook his head. 

"It's nothing,  _ kjære _ ."

Izu shrugged off the idea of Tord being cryptic. He was quite known for being stupidly metaphorical. Little did she know, however, that this wasn't one of his riddles.

Izu sighed and got on her feet. She walked over to the window in the lounge and looked down at the massive city below them.

"Fucking hell, we're there already?" 

Tord snickered, nodding his head. 

"You were asleep for quite some time. Hey, did you know that you talk in your sleep??"

Izu grunted and let out a sigh of frustration. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked back out of the window. 

"Whatever... I'm going to go get some food.."

"As you say,  _ kjære _ . Oh, but watch out for your mother. She's on the war-path."

As Izu walked out of the room, she thanked Tord bitterly. The first place she dropped by was the coffee shop on the ship. She thought it was stupid to even have a coffee shop aboard, but her mother disagreed. And since her mother was running the whole operation, she didn't have much of a say.

At the coffee shop, she bought a mug of hot chocolate. Nothing fancy-- literally at all--- but it was what she liked. What she was comfortable with. She wasn't going to change it any time soon, either. 

Afterward, Izu took to the engine, to see if there was anything she could work on for time’s sake. 

"Are you sure, Pau?" Izu asked. 

Pau nodded, scooping some coal into a furnace. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and grunted.

"Sorry, Izu. Weapons have been so busy and it doesn't look like there's anything more room for you to help out."

"Tch. Do you at least know when we'll be landing??"

"Less than an hour, ok princess?"

"Don't call me princess."

"Fine, fine. Whatever you want."

Izu rolled her eyes and walked out of the engine room. She turned down the bend and passed the long hall of windows that exposed the city to her. She took a moment to view it--- Izu had never seen it before. She grew up with Tord, at camp, and spent all those years away from any big important place. But this-- 

This was new.

And she didn't know how to feel about that. With a sigh, Izu grunted and groomed her bangs back. She sipped on her hot chocolate and enjoyed the view, wishing that there had been donuts too. Donuts were something that she was definitely looking forward to having more of. They were so rare to have back home, but she loved them. 

Donuts.

✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒

Izu took a deep breath in as she stepped off the airship that had just landed. People bumped past her, and a few shoves made her want to break out in a fight. But it wouldn't be good for her first minutes in the city. This was a big step toward the revaluation of her life. 

Izu -- for once-- let a smile graced her lips. Tord bumped into her by accident ---and in a flash, that smile fell. Izu whipped around and threw a fist at Tord.

"Hey, watch it, would ya'!?" She snapped.

Tord easily dodged and tried to ease her.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, _prinsesse_!!"

She stepped forward and socked him in the arm.

"Ow!"

"Do NOT call me princess."

"Alright, alright, sheeze!!"

"You are SO infuriating."

Izu grabbed her luggage and spun around. She walked off, not realizing that the Red Leader had been watching her from a balcony above. 

No, she did not.


	2. New Relations

✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒

<[Chapter Two]>

✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒✉✒

Izu ran with her luggage down the road to the old shack she would call her new home. She had just enough money to ration out what would go to renovations and what would go to food and bills. She stopped on the front porch and looked up at the house. Some windows were boarded up -- with any materials, it seemed that the previous owner could find. Some windows were patched with boards of wood, and other windows with plates of iron. 

“You don’t live here, do you miss?” 

Izu whipped around with a sharp breath and saw two males staring back at her. One was dressed in a soft pea-green color, had a bike with a basket full of newspapers. The other dressed in blue and coal-black, carried a briefcase and looked all business. But they both looked at Izu like she was in need of help, especially if that was her house.

Which it was.

Izu smiled at them, gave the best she could, and set down her luggage.

“Yes, I’m afraid it is.” She spoke with a tone of disappointment and disapproval. 

“Why would anyone want to live in a crum’ place like this?”

“Well, honestly it looked a lot better on the paper-- haha.” 

The business male stepped forward and took a better look at the shack. He stepped up to Izu’s side and hummed a long note. 

“Are you sure you want to stay in that?” 

“I don’t have much else a place to go.”

“Why don’t you stay with Tom?” Suggested the other male. 

The business male shot a look at him --- and it wasn’t a very nice one. Izu looked between them both and rang up as confused.

“Who’s … Tom? Is that, like, the local innkeeper?” 

“No, miss. He means me.” The blue male sighed. 

He put his hand out and gave her a friendly smile. 

“Tomas. Tomas Thompson.” 

Izu smirked a bit at his name being so … strange. To her it was strange, at least. Nonetheless, she put her hand to his and they shook on an introduction.

“Izu. White.” She nodded, “And who’s your friend?” 

“That’s Edd. If you decide to stick around Shu, you’ll probably be seeing a lot of both of us. Edd hands out everyone’s newspapers-- every dull day-- and me? Well, I’m invested in a lot of places around this town. ‘Specially up on Ford street.” 

Izu bowed her head to the males.

“Well, it’s great to meet the both of you.” 

“Well, Tom? Are you going to offer her a place to stay? Or not?” Edd pushed. 

“I was getting there,” 

Tom sighed and folded his hands together. 

“Well, you’re not deaf. . . So what do you say? Until you get this place… Fixed up and house worthy, I can offer you a place to stay. If that’s what you’d like.” 

“Well, I wouldn’t mind that,” Izu admitted. 

“Fantastic. If you don’t mind, I should probably show you the way to my home.” 

“Probably--”

Their conversation was interrupted by a familiar terd storming in on everything. 

“Izu! What are you doing??” 

Izu looked over Tom and saw Tord marching up to her. She groaned and instantly felt like she was being hovered over. 

“We haven’t even been in town for an hour, and you’ve already found trouble??” 

“What? No.” 

But Tord wasn’t listening-- which was nothing new.

“Don’t worry, kjære, I’ll protect you.” 

Izu felt embarrassed now. To actually think that he genuinely believed that she needed his help? It was insulting enough to spit at. … Or to punch. 

“I assure you, sir, we were just talking.” 

“Yeah! No need to get your goggles stuck high.”

“Don’t even try to lie to me, sickos. I know what you were trying to pull on Izu.” 

“Tord.” 

The stubborn male pushed her back, ignoring her. 

“After I’m done teaching you two to stay away, I better NEVER catch you around her again.”

“Just calm down, friend!” Tom tried but to no avail.

“Tord!”

“Hold on, Izu, I’m almost there.” 

Izu grunted, reached for Tord’s arm, and did a whole body flip. She gutted him onto the porch and shouted once again, “TORD!” 

It was needless to say that now his attention was on her. 

“I don’t need your help.” 

She lent him a hand and helped him onto his feet, while both Edd and Tom looked shocked-- to say the least. 

“Now scram.” 

Izu pushed Tord towards the gate and told him to leave. He glared at her, but all in all, he begrudgingly left. After he was gone, Izu ran her fingers through her hair and looked back at the pair of friends.

"Sorry about him."

Tom chuckled nervously and pointed off in the direction that Tord left. 

"Let me guess. Overprotective friend…. Or a boyfriend?"

"Oh, gods no... No. He's just a childhood pain in the neck. Grew up together and now I can't seem to get rid of him."

"Haha. It looked like a little more than loyalty running through his mind just then."

Izu gave something between a snort and a chuckle.

"Trust me. Tord is the last person on this earth who’ll ever show any kind of loyalty. I would know."

And a dull silence falls over the conversation. Tom is the savior of that.

"So, um, shall I take you to my house?" 

"Oh, right." Izu grabbed her luggage and smiled at Tom.

"Lead the way." 

He nodded and the two walked off the porch. As Tom passed Edd, he grinned. 

"Shouldn't you be down by Misses Longberry's house by now?"

"Oh, you're absolutely right! I best be off then. Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'll see you around!"

Edd then took off down the road on his bike. Tom watched him disappear around a block and then started walking the other way.

"Right this way, then.”

\----


	3. New Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom shows Iza to her new room. (:P

###  **Chapter Three**

As Iza and Tom walked into the house, Iza looked around in awe. Never before had she seen a house like his. It was grand, it was roomy, it wasn't dark like the camps she grew up in. It felt more like a home than anything she'd ever had. 

Iza chuckled, "You live here?" 

Tom set his briefcase aside on a shelf and smiled.

"Yeah. I do. Do you like it?"

"Like would be an understatement. It's a beautiful place you have here." 

Tom nodded, "Thanks." 

His head stooped low and he rubbed the back of his neck. Tom gestured with a wave of his arm for Iza to follow. 

"Come on. Let me show you your room."

Iza nodded and Tom guided her down a hall around a bend and opened the last door on the right. A flip switch to turn on the lights bolted into the wall by the door. Tom flipped that switch, and Iza saw the rest of the room. Inside there was a king-sized bed with smooth beige covers, a clock on the wall, and a map of the whole world painted on the ceiling. A metal dresser that looked old and worn out in the east corner of the room. A study desk beside that and a large bookshelf layered in books that were settled in dust on the opposite wall. 

“Sorry, it’s not exactly the best. But, I’m sure we can get you a better fix up in ti--”

“Are you joking? It looks great, Tom.”

“It… does?” 

“Absolutely. I was just used to sleeping on couches, or in sleeping bags. This is going to be a great change of pace for me.”

Tom glanced at Iza and hummed a note. 

“Where did you say you were from again?” 

“I didn’t.” Iza gave a playful smirk and winked at him. She giggled softly to herself, before turning her attention to the room. She brought her hand up and rested it on the door frame. 

“I’m from Ogaj.”

“Oh. I see. You come to Shu for shelter then?” 

“More or less. But I guess deep down… I came for a new start to life.”

“And your… ‘friend’ from earlier. He’s from Ogaj too?” 

“Mhmm.” 

“Well, then I can only assume that life was harsh for both of you.” 

Iza smiled softly, a tint of sadness covering her face. But the expression was gone in a snap. She looked at Tom and thanked him.

“For what?”

“Letting me stay here until my home is …  _ decent  _ for living conditions.” 

They both snickered before Tom nodded.

“Alright, well I’ll let you get accustomed. If you need me, my study is the first room upstairs. The ladder’s in the main lounge.”

“And where’s the main lounge?” 

“Heh. You’ll know it when you find it.” 

Tom winked and turned on his heels, strolling away from the conversation. Iza watched him turn the corner and disappear before she let out a sigh. She lugged her suitcase inside and closed the door behind her. She pressed her back up against the frame of the door and closed her eyes, recalling her times in Ogaj. It wasn’t a lie… 

But it wasn’t the whole truth either. She felt bad for not being fully honest with Tom, but if he had found out about who raised her, and what they taught her to do, he’d probably freak out, and do … who knows what. People were defensive and accusative when they’d find out about her. It had happened before… And Iza was determined to never let it happen again. She let out a shudder and got to work-- and by work, I mean unpacking. She stored all her clothes in the wardrobe and stocked all of her nifty little gadgets onto the study desk. That was everything, minus an old portrait of her and her sister. Unfortunately, her sister was lost. In other words, she had passed. 

Every day, Iza missed her, but she knew why she couldn’t connect with the rest of her family over Harper’s death. Iza grabbed the photo and strung it up on the wall with a tack. (It was a bit tricky to find the tack but she managed.) Once she was done, she stepped back and smiled. She looked around the room and hummed a light note.

“Well, it certainly beats camp.” 


	4. Invited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom invites Iza out

#  Chapter Four 

\---

Iza was woken from a nap by the sound of light knocking on the door. She groaned and sat up, crawled out of bed and went to the door. She slowly cracked it and saw Tom awaiting her on the other side. He waved.

"What can I help you with?" She asked groggily.

"I came by to invite you to a small dinner that my friend is hosting. There won't be many people there, and the friend that's hosting doesn't mind if you come along."

Iza didn't answer, she simply blinked at him as she processed his invitation.

"You don't have to come. If you want, you can stay and help yourself to the leftovers in the fridge."

Iza chuckled, letting a smirk broaden her face.

"Let me get dressed."

She hated leftovers. 

☆☆☆☆☆☆

[TIME/SKIP]

☆☆☆☆☆☆

After getting dressed into proper attire, Iza walked out of her room and joined Tom up front in his home. He turned and saw the dress she had slipped into, and couldn’t help but marvel at the sight. Once he realized he was starting to stare, Tom shook his head and cleared his throat. 

“Our carriage is waiting outside. Are you all set and ready?” 

“It would seem so.” Iza shrugged. 

The male nodded and escorted Iza outside. He helped her into the carriage and followed in after. They were on their way to an elegant dinner, that was certain, being hosted by one of the city’s noblemen-- Matt H. Iza was excited the whole ride there, trying her best to contain herself. Tom chuckled at the sight of her joy, being able to tell how much she was looking forward to this just by the twinkle in her eyes. 

Iza glanced over at the male and cocked her head a tad to the side. 

“Find something funny?” 

“Just the look of anticipation you have-- but more amusing than humorous.” 

“How is it amusing?” Iza asked, confused. 

“Because it makes you light up the area, while also not even realizing the effects it takes on others.” 

Iza furrowed her gaze, still lost.

“I don’t follow.”

“Hmm, well imagine this; A woman who is truly worthy of attention will light up the room and not even realize that she has captured everyone’s eye. She will continue the night minding her own, while among the crowd she sticks out like a beautiful rose, blooming in the middle of winter.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Iza shrugged. 

“My apologies, if I have spoken out of line.” 

“What? No, you haven’t at all.” 

Tom smiled as the carriage turned onto the private road, approaching the manor on the wealthy east of the city. The wealthy east was an entire section of Shu City closed off from the norm-- specifically for the nobles and wealthy folk. The only way to get on such land was to either have special permission, or to be rich or born into a powerful family. It was a bit of a shame-- for so many people to miss out on such beautiful landscapes. 

Iza focused her attention out the window and admired the passing scenery. Gardens, fountains and plots of magnificent flowers sprouted from the view going by. Iza never had seen such beauty all in one place. She liked it, if she was honest. Back at camp, they told her that flowers were used for practical reasons-- such as medicine and herbs. But the flowers in the garden weren’t for anything like that, and yet… They still pleased Iza. 

The carriage strolled up to the front steps of the manor and came to a stop. Tom smiled as a helper opened the door for the two. 

“This is it,” 

Iza nodded and was assisted out of the carriage. She thanked the man who helped her and Tom came out swiftly after. He offered her his arm and she looked at him, confused once more. 

“It’s a special tradition in the Wealthy East, that a lady takes a man’s arm while approaching the golden fronts of a noble’s house.” 

“Weird…”

“Yeah, but it’s best to not question it. Wouldn’t want to offend anyone.” 

“People get offended by such simple things?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” 

Iza sighed and wrapped her arm around Tom’s. He escorted her to the front door and rang the doorbell. A butler quickly opened it and allowed them inside. The main hall where they first stepped inside--- was glamorous. Classy. Elegant. Two staircases on either side of Tom and Iza curved up the walls to a central platform, which was divided on each side again to another floor. A grand crystal chandelier hung over their heads. An authentic carpet floored under their feet.

And hand painted pictures strung upon the walls of what Iza could only assume were the people of this family. 

Before she knew it, a man was standing at the top of the stairs on the central platform. He was dressed mostly in purple, with bits of beige that complemented his appearance. He had ginger hair and violet eyes, and wore a suit of high fabrics. (Probably expensive fabrics, too.)

In a word, Iza was marveled by everything around her. But she drew her attention to the man as he spoke to Tom.

“Ah, Tomas! Glad you could make it after all!” 

“You know me, Matt. If I find the time and don’t feel like cooking for myself, there’s a likely chance I’ll come.” Tom bantered.

“You hardly ever want to cook,” The man laughed, “But you’re always so busy!” 

“Got to pay for housing somehow.”

The man started down the steps, approaching the two. His eyes landed on Iza and he smirked.

“And who is this lovely madam?” He asked, now at their sides. 

“Ah, I hope you don’t mind. I brought a new friend of mine.” 

“Oh, certainly! I don’t mind at all.”

The man turned to Iza and bowed, “Allow me to introduce myself. Matt Harfinley, at your service.” 

Iza took her arm from around Tom’s and did a curtsey. 

“Iza White.”

A grandfather clock chimed from around them somewhere, causing Iza to look around, intrigued. Matt pulled out a pocket watch and gasped at the time.

“Is it really that late already? My, our other guests will be displeased by my absence by now! Come, come,” 

Matt urged for Tom and Iza to follow him quickly into the grand dining room. As Matt pushed the large doors open, he found quite some tension awaiting between his two other guests in the room. 

Iza’s eyes widened as she laid her sights on none other than….

“Tord?!” 

\---------------

(End Chapter 4)


End file.
